New Ways of Life
by MyCityUnderWater
Summary: A story talking about Derek 'Frost' Westbrook and how he first joined Delta Force. This will include slash on later chapters of Sandman/Frost. You've been warned :)
1. Chapter 1

_**Okay, so I decided to start up a new story for my most favorite character in all of mw3. Frost. This is from his point of view. And please excuse my grammar mistake.**_

_**~/~ **_

Welcome to the game.

When Derek Westbrook first joined the military, he was, to say the least, wasn't trying to take anything seriously. At all. Being a soldier was roughly shoved down his throat when he decided to take a vacation after high school, which his dad has taken the wrong idea, and decided to take him to the military.

His dad was a stern man who didn't have the time to understand or listen to reasons, and it was one of the main reasons why he didn't want Derek staying home with absolutely nothing to keep him busy. So its either joining the military, or spending the rest of the year with your father breathing down your neck.

The military won.

His days and nights would be spent in training that he found completely useless to what would come during war. But it was like this everyday, never ever training them on what they would be really expecting. Maybe because they were newly recruited and they didn't want them out that quickly? He didn't know, he didn't care. He wasn't even trying his best now. All he cared about was getting kicked out for the lack of trying.

However, that didn't end up like he wanted either. Just when he thought he'd be scolded everyday, or treated like shit, or forced to do stupid chores like cleaning weapons or cooking… none of those came. The amounts of pats and proud words and smiles he'd receive from his superiors on daily bases were merely maddening. He was surprised how everyone saw so much potential in him when he didn't even try. Was he really that good? Hell, there are way better soldiers around here, so why him?

It wasn't too long until he was promoted to a First Class Private, and not long after it into a Corporal. However, his attitude toward his roommates never changed. Some would call him pathetic for respecting others, even lower ranked than him. Some would respect him back, and that was his favorite part. Where he'd pass by a group of privates and all would either greet him or smile at him, or even whisper between them how he was the nicest and most understanding corporal around here. Of course there were still people holding grudges against him for some reason, but he never really cared. Still, It felt nice. Something he didn't feel amongst his friends back home.

By the age of 25 he was promoted as a Sergeant, and dammit, did it feel good. He was actually starting to find his place in the military more home-like than his actual home. He was trying harder by now, training his soldiers and training himself until he's capable of turning around any war into a game he could easily play. Which drove the attention of higher ranked men around the base.

~/~

Back when he first joined, he used to look over the best forces that could be displayed on some sort of list. Finding Task Force 141 to be the first, Right after it would be Delta force. Back then, he didn't use to care what they offered or how awesome it'd be to be in one of them. But lately, he started to think about what it'd be like to be in one of their uniforms. It almost sounded like a dream that might never happen, since there were way better soldiers than him who didn't join. So the idea was merely dropped into the wishlist, where it would most likely never come true.

~/~

Lunch time came soon that day, which was more to his relief since his stomach was feeling empty by now. He made his way toward the dining hall and found his seat on a random table. He looked around, looking for anyone he knew around here but… he found none. Oh well, they were probably busy or didn't know it was lunch time yet. He started digging in his food, taking the first bite before a private showed up out of nowhere with a curious look, standing beside the sergeant. Derek looked up slowly, studying the man silently and waiting for him to speak, which he didn't.

"…What." He mumbled out after a moment of silence, the private straightening up immediately. "Sir, they requested you at the meeting room, sir." Wait…what did he just say? They wanted him now!? Sighing heavily and dropping his spoon down, he nodded at the private and dismissed him, swallowing the remaining food in his mouth and quickly making his way out of the dining hall. Why did they want him now? He was damn hungry and one bite wont do good.

He went over to the meeting room, guessing it was something important until he walked into four men, all standing and looking at him… in fact, 'looking' wasn't the ride description for their gazes. They were studying him over, eyes wandering over his body structure, and some of them studying his face instead. He tried his best to stay stoic and emotionless, not wanting to show any weakness for whoever those men were. Soon, he felt a man behind who patted him slowly on the back. "Sit down Sergeant." His lieutenant said, glad there was a familiar face around here.

He sat down opposite from those four men, and just when his ass met the chair, they started asking countless questions. Starting with name, goals, experiments… ect. This 'meeting' took more than he imagined. Usually it'd be a short briefing where they'd get info on changing the methods of training or what to do if enemy attacked the bases. It didn't take longer than 15 minutes, but this one, took _at least _40 minutes. Once they were done, they thanked him and he stood up, getting out of the room patiently. What did they want exactly? Why did they need to interrogate him like that? Did he do something suspicious that caught their attention?

Dammit, he was thinking too much. And his stomach was practically growling, so yet again, he went to the dining hall, finding it empty beside a captain here and a corporal there. He took his food and sat down at the far end of the hall, eating slowly as his mind kept coming up with questions that he'll probably never know the answers for them. Pff, this was stupid! He'll simply ask the Lieutenant that was present there, hoping he'd find an answer. Once he was done with his food, he went to where his comrades would usually stay when the trainings were over, and to his luck, they were all there.

They all looked up at him once he arrived, before he quickly gestured for him to sit next to them, fast, as if they had an important thing to say… which usually was just a gossip or this guy did this or this guy did that and dammit was it annoying! He sat down slowly, looking mildly lost in his thoughts before one of them started speaking up. "Some guys asked us about you today!" One of them started, the other's replied right after.

"Yeah, it was weird.. their questions didn't seem to have a specific reason but…"

"They'll probably promote you again, congraaaats~"

"Or assign you for a mission?"

"Or engage you to his daughter."

Wow, the last one was not expected. And to his surprised, they all laughed as if it was possible, nope, no, he do not want to be married. As usual. He was rather quiet, especially during conversations and simply listened. However, he couldn't help but tell them what happened earlier. "Yeah, they asked me bunch of questions today… Do you think they find me suspicious or something?" Once they heard this, they all stared quietly, each one of them looks deeply in thought until one of them spoke. "Holy shit, man, they're moving you!"

"What?"

"What."

"…_What._"

They were all rather taken back by the conclusion, but hey, it wasn't impossible. Just why didn't he think of that earlier? He sighed, leaning back and chewing on his tongue as he thought this over. Would he really want to move? Does that mean he'll never see his friends again? "Man, I dunno… I might decline." He said, which made them all stare before snapping at him. "This is a good opportunity, dude, don't drop it!" It sounded really, really good to be moving to another base and all but, he doesn't want to feel lonely. "Derek, don't drop it for us. You focus more about yourself than others. We'll be fine."

If weren't for his friends' words, he wouldn't have even considered leaving. He did had to focus on himself, care about _himself _but he'd still miss them, especially when he's in a place where he knows absolutely no one. Sighing heavily, he tried to get some sleep for the night, hoping the next day's news would be pleasant.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Yay a new chapter~ I wrote this right after the first one, but completely forgot to put it up. This is the first time I wrote something so long, and hopefully it wouldn't be boring or anything.**_

_**also, if there's a suggestion on what happens on the next chapter, don't hesitate to tell me~**_

_**~/~**_

New Way of Life

It has been a whole hour since he said goodbyes to his friends. A whole hour since he walked into a helicopter. A whole hour sitting in the said helicopter and waiting to reach the base.

He had talked to the lieutenant and asked a few questions since curiosity killed him, and the things he heard were shockingly good. They found him much too capable to being in another unit, and they liked him. Those four men who seemed so scary and stoic and emotionless… liked him. Which meant only one thing: Moving Derek to a new base. Either Task Force 141, or Delta force.

When he was packing his things, the same lieutenant walked in and handed him a file that had all the information he'd need about the base he'll be going, and he'll be going to Delta Force. Good enough. Way too good enough. He'd be cursed if he didn't feel so accomplished and happy and fuck, he wanted to celebrate, but there was no time. When he lied down in his bed, he remembered all those times he thought it'd be just a simple wish, nothing more, nothing less. But damn, it seemed whenever he thought of something in a negative way, it seemed to turn positive for some reason. And he loved that.

Now, he was peaking out of the small window in the helicopter as they started landing, and he was growing frantically nervous than earlier. This was really happening. He took deep breaths, trying to calm down before he gets a heart attack or a stroke. God, that'd be embarrassing. Once the helicopter landed completely, he opened the door and walked out slowly, taking his small bag with him and closing the door after thanking the pilot, whoever it is.

Alright, now time to introduce and time to look for his room and time to memorize the base and time to memorize the names and try to find his team… so much to do for the first day. He turned around, only to be greeted by three out of the four men he saw earlier. He doesn't even know their names. He stood straight in respect when one of them started moving forward with a smile, patting Derek's shoulder. "Welcome to Delta force, Sergeant. This is where all the talented soldiers, like yourself, should be."

"Thank you, sir." He said, hiding his amusement and excitement and trying his best not to glomp the man and thank him till the words looses their meanings. "From now on, you'll be addressed as Frost. You will be the fourth member in Metal team. Your commander will be Sandman. Listen to everything he says." 'Frost' nodded at the older male's words, taking a deep breath in the process. Frost, Metal… Sandman… Such names were new to him, since he's so used to being called Westbrook. But hey, there's a first time for everything.

Once the man was satisfied with the nod, he let go of his shoulder and gestured for 'Frost' to go downstairs, where he'll most likely find his 'Team' waiting for him. He was still nervous, even when he was welcomed so nicely by that man. He didn't know what kind of a man Sandman would be. Cruel? Ruthless? Well, if he was in _Delta Force _then he'll most likely be both. So no room for understanding. What about the other two, though? He didn't know anything about them either, and as he went down the stairs, the more drowned in thoughts he became.

Feeling a sudden nudge that pulled him out of his thoughts, he looked up at the man before him. Hat, sunglasses, scruff, and a badass smile. "Hey! You must be the new guy." The man said to Frost, still playing that smile. "I'm Grinch, your buddy in Metal Team. The two others are just down the hall." Wow, _Grinch. _What the hell are these names? Seriously. Frost straightened up again, ready to introduce himself before he felt 'Grinch's' hand on his shoulder, easing him down. "No need for that, really, I'm just a sergeant like you, well, a first class sergeant but that doesn't matter. We're all like bros here so, no need to be so formal."

Well in that case, he felt more comfortable, simply nodded and easing his shoulders. "Okay, I'm Frost. Nice to meet you, Grinch." He said in a low tone, which made the other male smirk. "I know who you are. All of us do. Now let's go." Grinch said, the southern accent is clear in his voice, and he could only guess from where he is, or where he lived at least. Moving further down the hall, he could hear a faint chatter between two deep voices, and once they were clear to his vision, Grinch begin introducing. "This is Sandman, our boss. And this is Truck, the same rank as me."

Woah, okay, he never expected Sandman to look like this. He looked somewhere in his early thirties, or mid thirties the most. He had spiky, light brown hair with grey eyes, a well-built body and he only wore a white shirt. As for Truck, he was a black man with bald head, and he looked too serious with those glares he was giving Grinch, which made Grinch glare right back. Was there something between the two?

"Welcome here, Frost. I'm going to guess the Captain have already told you what needs to be known, but if you still have questions, ask any of us. Its good to finally meet you." Sandman said, shaking Derek's hand slowly, "Thank you sir, its good to meet you too." He said, smiling softly at him. And to his surprise, the older male smiled back. "Alright, alright. its time for me to show him around the base." Said Grinch, passing right through them and dragged Frost along.

He wasn't sure if it was just him, or was Sandman surprisingly attractive, and once they were far enough, he leaned closer to Grinch. "Hey… uh, how old is Sandman?" He said, finding Grinch the only man he could trust with such questions. The man seemed nice and friendly. "Sandman? He's 46 in a month or so. Why?" Oh… _oh. _He was wrong. "He doesn't look that old…" He said, looking down at the floor. "Yeah, everyone thinks the same. Sometimes I wonder how can he look younger."

~/~

After wandering around the base until his legs felt sore, he told Grinch to show him his room, in need to change his clothes to Delta force's uniform and get ready for lunch that was starting soon. The man led him to their quarters. Five rooms with each one of their names on the doors, the fifth room happens to be a storing room, for what exactly? He didn't know.

He changed into the uniform before they headed toward the dining hall together. It was cool and clean, unlike the old one he used to go to everyday until he was sick of. The food was good either, and the company of those three was rather nice. Grinch and Truck would fight over their food, or hit each other out of boredom, or start arguing over the most ridiculous thing on existence. Sandman, however, was a little quiet, unless he dropped a comment here and there. As for himself, he decided to never speak unless spoken to, and it was better that way. He was used to it.

After the lunch was done, everyone went on with their business, and Grinch had a few chores to do, so he couldn't company him around. So he decided to go by himself and wander to the places he had memorized so far. First infirmary, then dining hall, then restrooms, breaks room (or how Grinch calls it, 'the room where everyone chills'), and finally, the armory.

When he first walked into the room, he looked around all the stored weapons, looking around for a weapon he'd find suitable for his future missions. After a short while of wandering, he decided to grab a M4A1 and study it over, but a sudden click behind him made him turn, his eyes landing on Sandman who was giving him his back, and looking through weapons as well. Frost didn't say anything, merely stared at the man's back for a while, once he knew the man wasn't paying him any attention, he turned back to the rifle in his hand and put it back in its place, deciding to look around for more weapons.

"I'd advise MP5 for you." The sudden voice took his attention back to Sandman, who was weighting some gun that he couldn't see. MP5? Weren't those guns used by Ultranationalists? When he turned to look for it, the older male called him again and handed him over the MP5. So it was the gun he was weighting… It didn't seem so bad. It was a little light, and he had a thing for submachine guns. The magazine was big enough as well.

"The M4A1 isn't so bad either, what other weapons would you prefer to have?" Asked his commander, and for a minute there, he had to think this over. M4A1 would be his first choice, MP5 would be the second, "USP .45, ACR and M14." He said, looking up at Sandman who seemed somewhat pleased. "Good, you know how to hold your ground if you know what kind of weapon to pick."

He smiled softly, looking down at the MP5 in his hands before handing it over to the other, giving a small nod as a 'thank you'. After a few seconds of not knowing what to say exactly, he decided it was better for him to leave and let Sandman have some time alone. "…Alright, I'll go check what I need to do before dinner starts." After he said that, he received an understanding nod from Sandman, leaving soon after to look for Grinch.

~/~

The next day was rather… uneventful. Derek was the kind of person who cant sleep at new places, so he spent his night scribbling down in some notebook he had no idea who it belonged to, and once it was time for getting up, he felt tired and exhausted that he could sleep for ages. And he hated himself for feeling that way. He dressed in his Delta clothes and went outside for breakfast, sitting along with Grinch silently as the man talked about how his wet dreams never actually get _wet _and how he wakes up right before anything exciting happens. It was rather funny, and he honestly wanted to laugh, but his body was acting against him in every way this day.

He headed over to the training yard after the breakfast was over, shot a few bullets randomly at a few bottles that he ended up missing most. He gave up quickly and decided to walk around the base again, maybe walking would refresh him up a little and kick away sleep. Unfortunately, that didn't work either. And how damn lazy he felt right then was going to drive him insane.

He collapsed down a chair in the 'chill room' and looked around with lidded eyes, trying to make out a few faces he recognized but still couldn't remember their names. Most of them were chattering about football, some about the war, and some other were playing poker or whatever it is. Sighing heavily, he sank down further into the chair, crossing his arms and closing his eyes for a sleep. It was weird how absolutely okay to him to sleep when there's so much noise, but right then, it didn't matter.

_Just _when he almost napped, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, slowly shaking him awake. Opening his eyes with clear irritation, he slowly looked up, wondering who dared to disturb him… And it was none other than Sandman. He looked concern, as far as he could tell, and the way he gently squeezed his shoulder made him shake his head slowly. "I'm fine, boss… Just… Tired." He said, rubbing his eye with a sigh. "Then go sleep. There's nothing to do today." Oh, did that sound great. He looked up again and smiled faintly, attempting to stand up, but his legs wouldn't move.

Feeling an arm wrap around his waist and help him up, he let out a hardly audible whine at the feeling, but he couldn't kick the man away. He needed the help after all, and walking alone all the way to the quarters would be like going through hell. He wrapped his own arm around Sandman's shoulder and moved his numb legs again, walking slowly toward the quarters.

The halls were empty, and the silence between them was thick, but he couldn't think of anything to tell Sandman, and the other probably felt the same. And once they reached Frost's room, he opened the door slowly as Sandman led him in, lying him down on the bed and sitting on the side of the bed. "Do you want me to wake you up when Dinner is ready?"

Frost shook his head when Sandman asked, feeling like a dead corpse. "No… I won't be so hungry." He said, rolling over on his side, facing Sandman. "Thanks. I really troubled you with me." He spoke again, hoping Sandman would understand. And he did. That smile proved it. "You didn't trouble me with anything." With that said, he patted the younger male on the back and left, leaving Frost to just stare at the door he closed behind him and curse himself for thinking Sandman would be cruel and ruthless.. He'd be damned if he wanted another commander.

It wasn't long before he fell asleep, and this time, it was deep and senseless that made him sleep the rest of the day without anyone bothering him. Thankfully.


	3. Chapter 3

_**I'll be trying to update "A Journal" more often but.. I seriously don't feel the inspiration to write another chapter for it. So this story will be updated more. Also, some parts of the plot here is a bit different from the main story of MW3. **_

_**~/~**_

The Constant Worry__

The wars Derek would get into for his taste in music with Grinch, Angel, Worm and bunch of other soldiers were merely to say, stupid. In fact, he had no specific taste. He'd listen to any kind of music as long as he likes it. Be it rock, metal, acoustic, rap, dubstep… anything at all. But why did the others find that devastating? He shall never know.

Sometimes, he'd get too bored of them and turn off his iPod, deciding it'd be way better if he kept his music for himself, not to mention, half of his playlist were sound tracks from video games he used to love. And ever since he knew there was a hidden PlayStation here, he knew his life wouldn't be so bad after moving to this base. Hell, he'd be happy to stay here rather than the other one.

Everyday after his trainings, he'd go stick around in that specific small room and play all the games he was able to get his hands on until evening, no one questioning where he was or disturbing him, which was the best part. But once the dinner starts, the usual fighting over awfully stupid, _stupid _topics with everyone around the dining, would greet him as he walks in. If weren't for Sandman there, he'd been gone mad too long ago. But it wasn't so bad either. Everyone here was like a family, fighting like brothers and forgetting about their fight 5 minutes later.

Speaking of Sandman… its been a couple of days since he last saw him. At first, he thought he'd probably gone to a mission or had some reports to do or whatever that kind of messed up shit. But the growing anxiety and worry in his two teammates faces were making him start questioning as well. Okay, he wouldn't mind spending a few days alone with these two monsters who fight over their piss, but if more days passed by, he'd probably start eating alone.

But today, when he walked into the dining hall and sat beside Truck, he looked over them slowly, curiously… there was something wrong, he could tell it. They were damn quiet than usual and eyes never leaving their food. He wished he could think that they made a stupid deal to not to talk to each other for a day or two. But he knew that wasn't the case. Sandman wasn't back yet, and honestly, he was starting to get worried as well.

"…Would someone tell me where is he?" He finally asked after the long silence, which caused Grinch to look up from his food silently, then look back down at it. "He's gone in an undercover mission… he should have been back days ago but, dammit. Something happened to him! I'm damn sure." He said with a heavy sigh, dropping his spoon and hiding his face in both his hands. "Man, don't loose your shit. He'll be fine! He knows what he's doing." Said Truck, reaching out his hand to pat the Southern man on his shoulder.

The sight of Truck actually acting like a brother didn't quite matter to him at this moment. What worried his mind was Sandman, and if he was truly doing okay. God, why no one told him that earlier?! It wasn't even time yet for Sandman to die. He still wanted to get to know him better! Dammit, why now?

His dinner was left untouched, his constant thinking over Sandman's well being was more important now, and no matter how much he tried to make himself believe his commander was alright, there were still possibilities of his death going through his brain. Of course, he wasn't the only one. Grinch and Truck beside him were worried as hell, that much was shown, and not too long after he noticed that Truck excused himself and went straight out of the dining hall. Grinch following after a few minutes later.

~/~

It haven't been a few months since he joined Delta Force, and it hasn't been that long since he knew Sandman to trust him enough. Let alone _worry to death _about him. He was unable to sleep that night, rolling around in his bed for hours and trying his best to sleep, but his mind would jolt him awake all of a sudden. Oh holy crap, this was going bad.

He gave up on sleep after a few more minutes of just lying down, deciding to go drink a glass of water and wash his face for some relief, but after doing both, he still didn't feel tired at all. He went to the communication room (after having a hard time remembering the way for the past few months) and found one of the Captains that interrogated him earlier sitting there, flipping through some files. His presence was probably unnoticed, but he approached slowly and spoke in a hushed manner.

"Sir…?" He said, Captain Johnson slowly turning toward him with a confused look. "Frost? I didn't hear you coming." He paused, and then spoke again. "Its really late to be awake, what is it?" A weighted sigh left Frost before he begin to speak about his worry. This was one of the few men he found himself able to speak with, no matter what the subject was. This specific Captain happened to support him. A lot. And he didn't even know why. "Its… about Sandman. He's my commander and I've been worrying about his well-being. The rest of the team is worrying as well. Is he.. okay?" God, saying all that felt like a pain to his tongue, he wasn't used to speak much, but he couldn't help. He was worried and he was damn showing it.

The Captain paused, taking in the words have been said to him, and after a few more seconds he replied. "He is fine. He reported 13 hours ago about his status and the target's. But he needs help," Again, he paused, looking down at the files in his hands. "And I cannot find the right person." Frost thought of this, knowing how hard it is to be undercover and dammit, he wanted to help the man! He was good at acting (thanks to the amounts of time he lied as a child) and since Johnson couldn't find someone, he would volunteer. "Sir, I'll take this mission, if you'll allow me to. I'm far more… experienced in this area."

"No, Frost. This is bigger than you, and the rest of Delta Force. He needs help from Task force… Just once I can get a clear connection to them." He clicked a few things away in his computer before turning to Frost, his eyes narrowed and he seemed deep in thought.

"Frost, there is a pilot outside goes by the name 'Carl'. Calling him by his callsign would be clear to him that I didn't send you. Tell him, you need a jet ready at 7 am tomorrow." With a nod, Frost stood up, making his way out of the room and right toward the Chill room. He'll need Grinch to help him find that guy.

Once he located his friend, he tapped his shoulder and gestured for him to come, leaving Truck with a person who was talking to, and from the look of it, it was some serious talk. "Grinch, I need to talk to a pilot called… Uh.. I think his name is Carl." He said hesitantly, trying to remember if it was the correct name. Fuck, he hates how he forgets quickly. "Oh yeah, I know that guy. He's a friend, c'mon." he gestured for Frost to follow to the helipad. On their way there, they've talked about multiple things, mostly about helicopters and how Grinch have a deep grudge for some pilot called Roland. And then they talked about Carl, and from what he have heard, they were friends before. This 'Carl' have been in love with his bird ever since he became a pilot, and would even curse loudly if something hurt his 'baby'.

It wasn't the first time he heard of such thing. Back in his old base, one of his friends had a deep love for his tank, calling her names like 'My lady' or 'My girlfriend'. This led a private to joke about it and say 'Seems you jerk off to a tank'. He was sure he never saw his friend beating someone like that before. But the man deserved it.

Shortly after their talk, they reached the helipad and saw no one else but Carl. He had a rough look on his face, a few scars here and there. He looked a serious kind of guy, and for a minute, he wondered if the things Grinch told him about was real. He smiled up at Grinch and walked over to where they were standing, patting him on the back and sparing a glance at Frost, not showing much attention to him. "My buddy! How can I help you?" He said, only talking to Grinch.

"Frost here have some orders for you." Grinch said, gesturing toward Derek. "…Captain Johnson wants a helicopter ready at 7 am tomorrow. Its important." Derek simply said, eyeing the man the same way he was eyeing him. With clear unease and dislike. What did the man have against him?! He just came to the base, so why would anyone act that way? Oh well, he started making his way back, Grinch following after.

One they were back at the Chill room, he took a seat beside Truck and sighed heavily, leaning his head back. Grinch sat down beside him, looking somewhat displeased. "Man, when did you talk to Johnson? The man is scary." He said toward Derek. "I went to ask him about Sandman." Was Frost's simple reply. Both Grinch and Truck gave him a surprised look before they exchanged stares, then stared back at Frost. "Shit, dude, did he tell you?! When _we _went to ask, he refused to tell us anything." Upon hearing that, Frost thought the Captain didn't want anyone knowing where Sandman was, so he shrugged off a little and looked away. "He didn't say anything…"

~/~

The day has been gone a little bit… quieter. Boring, uneventful, like usual. He went to the communication room again, called his mom and informed her everything was okay, told her how much he had missed her, and asked her to say hi to his friends. Never mentioning his father during their talk. She sounded sad, but happy nonetheless. She probably missed him, and he did too. Being an only child with a shitty father can leave you with no one to turn to but your mom. And she was right there whenever he needed her. God, his eyes stung, just remembering those good times he spent back home was making him sick.

He left the room, trying to remember that he had called her at all and made his way toward the showers. And luckily? No one was there. He hated when he showered around people, being publicly naked… even if they had the same bodies, it was still embarrassing to him. So he can't be more grateful now. He stripped off his clothes, stepped under the shower as it poured hot water upon his head and sighed. It was relaxing and nice, something he wanted desperately.

His mind gone through a few memories before it settled on his team. All three of them were like brothers to him now, mostly Grinch. He was so open and talkative toward him. Truck was more mature, though. He'd be more like an older brother, or a father at least since he always gave him advises, corrected him when needed, and simply been a good person toward him. But Sandman… Sandman had a whole different aura about him.

He was nice, right. He liked him, right. But what sort of liking? He sighed and leaned his head back, letting the water wash his face carelessly. Why was he growing a more _unnecessary _liking toward his commander? What would the man think of it?! Another sigh left him, his hand slowly rubbing his hair to let the water run through the scalp. He considered grabbing the shampoo but… he was too lazy.

Maybe he'll get to know Sandman more, speak to him more often, open up to him like Grinch does around everyone. He'll make sure to do that, once he's back from that damned mission, he just hopes he wont be found out and get shot for it… Shit, he was worrying again! He didn't need that now.

~/~

**Alright, I need to make a few things clear for now. Finals are gonna start soon, so my updating would be a tad bit late than usual. And Frost in this story is blond with blue eyes. Here are info about him in the game images. wikia callofduty/ images/d/d4/ Sandman _Dossier_MW3 .jpg** _**(remove the spaces)**_** And as I said earlier, this will take a turn to a Sandman/Frost story, which means there will be M/M or gay stuff. Since there's absolutely no fanarts, or fanfictions of these two, I'm willing to start.**

**That is all. Sorry if I talk too much. As I said, if there are any suggestions for the coming chapters, don't be shy to tell me~**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is specially going to my friend, Aan, for sticking up to me and waiting until I made this story. So here you go dear~!**

**WARNING: There's slight slash in the end of this chapter. If you don't like male/male, then don't keep reading after the bolded ~/~**

**~/~**

Unpleasant Night

What he expected was Sandman to return after the Task Force had dragged him out of the shit hole he pushed himself into. But what he wasn't expecting was to be awakening roughly by Grinch who was set on all of his gear with Truck on the background, working on his helmet. He was a heavy sleeper, and he didn't easily register to what was being said to him, sometimes thinking its just a dream. But this time it was too rough and urgent and from the way Grinch spoke, it was important.

"Man, wake the fuck up! We gotta go you sleeping back of dicks!" With that screamed on his face, he was shook non-too-gently by the shoulders again. "Alright…" He whispered out, yawning heavily and taking his time rolling out of the bed and trying not to stumble down. He heard a loud groan from Grinch and then Truck was right in front of him. "I don't think you know how important this is. Task Force have found Sandman and tried to get back to us but their plan was destroyed. They have no way to return back after all of their rides have been either blown up or ruined. We need to go take them back ourselves, or we won't see Sandman ever again."

Hearing all that encouraged him to push all the sleep away and put on his Delta clothes hurriedly, went to the armory and took his favorite M4A1 and a desert eagle for necessity. He went back to Grinch and Truck who were already waiting next to their ride. He fixed up his goggles and balaclava, climbed into the helicopter and watched the two others join him. He turned to Truck, ready to ask about what caused Task Force to be compromised, but the other probably didn't know, so he stayed quiet and turned away.

Truck must have noticed, since he turned his head slightly toward his direction and asked slowly. "Something on your mind?" Both he and Grinch looked at him when he said that, and Frost hesitated again, but asked something else. "Do you think there will be waiting for us when we land there?" Once he finished saying that, Grinch whispered a low 'will they?' to Truck. If Sandman wasn't around, Truck is in charge, and from the look of it, it burdened him. "…Most likely. Just be ready for any surprises. We don't want to be caught off guard."

The reply had satisfied both of them, and all they have to do now was to wait.

~/~

The three of them had landed 5 hours ago, and were met by waves of Russian armies. They fought through them, until they reached where the Task Force, Captain Johnson and Sandman were. Truck and Grinch took their time introducing themselves to Price, Soap and Yuri. Grinch took his time talking with Nikolai who seems to share a lot of common things with Grinch, and Truck had gone to Captain Johnson, talking about whatever important thing they had to speak about.

As for Frost, he went straight to where Sandman was staying. There were tents lying everywhere, away from the battlefield. Some doctors here and there, some injured soldiers lying around and finally, Sandman. He was sitting in a tent a bit far from the rest, shirtless with a large bandage on his shoulder and a little bloody wrap around his torso. He was sitting, crossed legs and reloading his MP5 magazine, looking somewhat tired.

Derek took a deep breath before he slowly walked in, sitting opposite from the other male in the small tent and looking anywhere but the man's body. He was… no, no no no he shouldn't think about it like this! Sandman had taken a while to stare, probably not believing that Frost was sitting across of him, and with a tad bit hesitation, the younger spoke up. "…How're you holding up?" Honestly, he had no other thing to ask, he didn't even know why he came straight to his commander's tent. He was worried, and wanted to check on him, yes, but the other's surprised look seemed… off.

"When did you come? Are the others with you?"

"Just a few minutes ago. The Captain said we had to come."

"…And I'm the last one to know my team is coming?"

"They must have a good reason for not telling you."

Hearing the older man sigh and drop the magazine, he rubbed his forehead and sighed again, leaning back. "Did he tell you why you had to come?" Sandman asked, making Frost tad bit uncomfortable under his hard stare. Was he upset? "Something about you didn't have a ride back to the base, though I wasn't told much." His reply may have been enough for his superior, since he looked away slowly with a nod.

Derek reached over and touched his commander's thigh in a comforting way, slowly pulling off his goggles and balaclava; he gave Sandman and easy look and a soft smile. "Hey, the important thing is you're safe. I was really worried you got hurt." He wasn't afraid to admit it at this moment, wanting to show that he did actually care and he didn't come here just because he had orders to follow.

A few moments of silence had fallen upon them. Sandman didn't reply, and simply stared at Frost as the younger stared back, slowly withdrawing his hand back on his own lap. He didn't know what else to say, and he was slightly glad the sudden noise interrupted and Grinch's head showed up into the tent. "Boss~ its good to see you in one piece!" he said, a wide smile spreading over his face before he was pushed further inside, landing on Frost's lap with a loud thud. Soon after, Truck's head showed up too.

The tent seemed to get awfully smaller each second, and as much as how relieved Sandman is to see his teammates, he was still feeling uncomfortable in the tightness. Grinch finally regained his composure and balance, sitting beside Frost while Truck sat at the entrance. They all talked, about Sandman's mission, about their way here and how it was invested by Russians, and mostly about how boring it was back in the base without Sandman.

After a few questions, Sandman had told them all about his mission, and how he was supposed to trick Makarov's banker and freeze the terrorist's account, which seemed to have plenty of millions in it. But the mission went wrong. The banker's henchman found out about their plans and turned all of the guards against Sandman, luckily enough for him, he found enough information that can be used against Makarov, and gladly, Task Force was in time to get him out.

**~/~**

Delta Force have arrived some time later, the Captain separated them into two. A group fights in the morning, and a group defends at night. The Russian army didn't seem to be withdrawing back so quickly, probably wanting to make sure Sandman died after the amount of info he got. Well, they can't do that.

All the tents have been taken, maximum was both in each. Truck and Grinch shared one, and every time Frost passes by their tent, he could hear them arguing. As for himself, he shared Sandman's tent, and he was mildly surprised when his commander said it wouldn't hurt to share the tent with his teammate. Derek gladly accepted the offer, and was now sitting beside the lying body of Sandman, shuffling through the playlist in his iPod. It was a gift he received shortly after he joined Delta Force. His mother had no idea what was that, but from the sound of her son's excited voice, she congratulated him and sent him the iPod as a gift. He couldn't be more grateful.

Sandman shifted beside him, making him turn back to look at him and meet his eyes. His commander looked so tired… "Frost, get to sleep." It wasn't an order, but Derek respected it enough and did as he was told, locking down his iPod and putting it back in his bag and lied down. It was damn hot, even when he was dressed in only a plain white shirt and his Delta force pants. Sandman himself was really warm, thanks to this really tiny tent, their backs pressed together, and no matter how much they shifted a part of their limbs would still touch. Either arms or shoulders, backs or legs.

The night went on, and Frost was unable to sleep thanks to his usual inability to sleep at new places he never slept in before. Though, he tried his best not to shift much, he doesn't want to keep bothering Sandman by his constant moving, especially when the other male was tired. Closing his eyes for the tenth time that night, he started breathing deeply, which helps him to calm down most of the time, and as time passed, it did seem to bring sleep to his eyes. However, he was interrupted when he felt a light, gentle hand wander over his side, and he tried his best to stay calm and keep his deep breathing steady.

Was Sandman awake? He probably was… or he wouldn't be doing this in his sleep. And damn it, he didn't even know if Sandman was facing his back right now, but the hand on him was the older man's right hand. Which means he did shift to face him, but he had absolutely no idea when.

The hand had sneaked up further, reaching his chest line before it went down over his abdomen, trailing over the muscles there until it settled over his navel. It stayed there for a while, feeling the older man's body shift closer, but he made no attempts to move or show he was awake. His eyes were closed in the dark tent, his breath still steady and even, and soon, Sandman's scent was filling his nostrils.

They stayed that way for a while, Frost slowly feeling comfortable under the man's arm and sleep was slowly taking over him, and the next thing he knew, he was actually sleeping in a new place.

~/~

**Look over here, I finally wrote something between them~ I know its probably not as good as you thought it'd be but, something is better than nothing. Also, nothing will really **_**start **_**between them until probably next chapter, or the next… depends on how much close they'd grow toward each other. Review if you like c:**


	5. Chapter 5

**Im sorry this chapter is a little late, I'll try to update as soon as I can. As I said before, exams are starting up so I cant update more often.**

**~/~**

**Back Home**

The Russian troops were more of cockroaches than people. They were endless and hard to take down so quickly. It was why Frost was roughly wakened before dawn, his rifle thrown down at him before Grinch left as fast as he came. Frost turned around to see if Sandman was still in his place… he was alone in the tent.

His mind was still have asleep, not processing half of the words said to him, and the only thing he was focusing on was taking down enemies before they increase in number. Its moments like these where he wished he wasn't a soldier, just some normal man back in his city, doing part-time shifts at some local restaurant or bar. But yet, he couldn't find himself regretting this choice.

It wasn't until afternoon that the enemy troops started withdrawing, thankfully. He was so tired he'd collapse on the battlefield and sleep. As he stood up, he felt hands on him, helping him up until he was fully standing. At first, he thought it was Sandman, he _hoped _it was Sandman… but it was a Russian man he doesn't know.

"Are you alright, my friend?" The Russian male said, earning a simple nod from Frost. The loyalist, as far as he thinks, had taken him back to his tent, lied him down and helped him get rid of the equipment on him. The Russian male looked too familiar, but he wasn't sure in which team he had saw him. The Task force or the Loyalists? "I'm Frost, by the way." He said in a hushed tune, enough for only the two of them to hear.

The Russian man smiled, fixing his hat. "Nice to meet you, Frost. I'm Nikolai. I should be going back to Price before he wonders where I am gone." So… his name was Nikolai, the pilot that helps Task Force all the time? He never guessed! "Sure… thanks for the help." As Frost replied, Nikolai has already stood, waving at him with a wide smile before making his way out of the tent.

Derek relaxed, leaning down against his pillow with a sigh. He was glad he was dragged here by someone. He knew he wouldn't be able to do it alone. Now, that he was alone and has the time, he started thinking of what happened the other night. There was no explaining to it, unless he was just dreaming… but that was impossible. The hand that sneaked over his side and up his torso was nice, calming and it was all he needed to have a good sleep.

He wondered if Sandman would do it ever again, wondered if he'd even attempt touching him while he lied down uncomfortably close to him in this tent… he wondered if they're staying in this place any longer at all.

~/~

As he guessed earlier, they went back to their base earlier. Sandman looked as tired as he was earlier, but the sudden 'surprise' party everyone in the Delta force made for him, pushed the sleep away. There were loud music that you cant hear your own voice over it, drinks were everywhere, and even the Captains were out there having a good time. Sandman was the center of the attention, everyone congratulating him and such.

As for Frost, he decided he'd wait until everyone was over, and simply watched from a distance as people gathered around his commander. Time passed slowly, and he was glad Grizzly sat with him and talked a bit, or he would of died from boredom. And then the music was getting quieter, the food was already over and the amounts of drunks soldiers was enough to prove the party was worth it.

Everyone went back to their rooms, the place was left as dirty as it is, probably for some soldiers to wake up the next day and clean the mess. Sandman was nowhere to be seen, he must have went to sleep as well. As for Derek, he went straight to the showers, making sure nobody was in there before he stripped off his clothes.

He was finally waiting for this moment, where he made sure everyone was asleep to walk into him showering. He always hated showering around everyone, exposed like the day he was born. It was embarrassing. And the showers had no stalls.

He turned on the hot water, letting it wash down his head and body until he felt like he was in heaven. To finally shower after the last few days on intense struggle with the Russians was a pleasant thing to do. He just stood there, wondering if he should touch the shampoo at all or just stand there enjoying the blessing. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the showers' door open, and with a low groan, he turned his head to see who came in.

He expected it to be anyone, actually. Any soldier who wanted to annoy him during his shower time. He expected _anyone, _but Sandman. The commander was eyeing Frost with a look he could never be able to read, and he was almost naked if weren't for the pillow wrapped over his waist. Their eyes met for a while, Frost completely forgetting that he was standing without a single cloth over his body in front of his team's Captain, and the other simply locked his gaze until he decided to go shower as well.

Frost let out a quiet sigh, turning back to the wet wall in front of him as the water kept pouring down on him. He was blushing, and he decided to blame it on the water's heat. He just realized they have seen each other without clothes, and even though they were men, the same _fucking body, _there was something still making him embarrassed about this. He had spent a few times in the showers in front of everyone back when he was a simple soldier, but never in his life had he felt this heat run up his cheeks.

He hesitated for a long while, simply fiddling with the shampoo's bottle in his hands as he half listened to Sandman turning on the water behind him. There were at least 3 meters between them, if not more, and all the showers were opposite from one another, which meant Sandman was most likely giving him his back right now. He finally decided to open the bottle, pour a generous amount in his hand then rubbing it over his dirty hair.

His mind kept going back to the sight he saw a few moments ago, which caused his hands to go rougher and rougher over his scalp until it started to hurt. He didn't care either way, it was too embarrassing to keep it down, and his hands just kept scrubbing his forehead like he was running out of time.

It wasn't long after his violent actions that he felt a hand over his head… two hands actually. And they slowly started moving back and forth over his hair, gentle and calm as they rubbed the dirt away from his head. His own hands started to lower until they fell helplessly by his sides, a soft sigh leaving his lips and his eyes closed, enjoying the gentle treatment that he awfully needed at this moment.

"Don't rip your scalp next time you wash it." The deep voice behind him spoke in a low voice tune, making Frost take a minute to register what had been said to him. And once he realized what it meant, the hands were gone from his hair, letting a whine slip past his lips. He turned around to watch as Sandman took a step back from him, a small smile forming once he met his captain's. "Thanks… I'll make sure not to." Was his simple respond.

Sandman started backing off, nodding slowly and making his way back to his own shower that was still running. Frost's eyes following his back, studying the curves and muscles, the scars and cuts that sprawled all over his body. Some of them looked new, most likely from their latest mission against the Russians. But others looked old, must be from his earlier missions before Frost joined the army.

Once he realized he was staring for too long, he turned around immediately, cursing himself as he let the water wash away the shampoo on his hair… he could still feel phantoms of the older man's hands over his head, a long shiver running through his spine right after it. He doesn't understand all of this. There was no explaining to this. First, that night in the tent, and now this! Maybe he should talk to him and ask him about it?

No, it all sounded like a wrong idea… he'll simply waits until he sees what comes next.

~/~

The dining hall were rather quiet the last few days, and same goes with the 'chill room'. They were simple murmurs now, not the loud, unbearable laughs and jokes that was yelled everywhere across the room. Probably since all soldiers had lost their energy at the last mission, then the celebration after it. He only felt pity for those who had to clean all the mess after that party.

Frost was lying lazily on a couch with Grinch sitting on the ground next to it. He was downloading some music in Frost's iPod, most of them might be metal or rock… Frost didn't mind any. "Grinch?" Derek started, looking over at his friend once the man tilted his head toward him. "Yeah?" He responded, and the sergeant had no idea how to start this. "Have you ever had feelings toward someone you shouldn't have feelings toward?" he didn't know how else to put this, but Grinch seemed to understand as he looked down in thought.

"Yup, once at high school. Or was it middle school… cant remember right. The point is, I couldn't really date her or anything. Her family was enemies against mine, and it was just so damn fucked up." he said, tapping the iPod in his hands. "I still liked her though, sent her messages without anyone knowing. But then her family moved to another state and I wished I could just collapse and die." He chuckled at the end, his eyes going back to Frost. "Why do you ask?"

Derek took a moment to think about all that… must have been hard for the man. The question made him pause, however, wondering if he should just speak up and not be a coward about it. But he was still not sure himself. "It's just… I _think _I'm falling for someone but its probably not the case. I don't even know, man." He sighed heavily, hiding his face against the couch's pillow under his head.

Grinch simply stared, confused and puzzled as it seemed, but he slowly pocked his friend's cheek then punched his shoulder. "Dude, don't be a shy mess. That was _love _does. If its love anyway. You're maybe not comfortable around them, or just have an unsettling feeling. Its not always _falling_ for someone." He explained, shuffling through the playlist he added.

Frost showed his face again, his usual stoic expression taking over his face. "What if you blushed if you saw them?" that question made Grinch pause, and slowly look back up at Frost with a wide smirk. "Yeaaaah, that's love. Or simple liking. Something between." He said, that devilish smirk still showing. "Who is it?"

"Something between…" Frost repeated slowly, ignoring the last question since he was sure as hell not telling Grinch who it was. He might consider Truck, but Grinch? Never. He'd just make endless jokes and teasing whenever Sandman is there. And that was the last thing Frost needed now. "Who. Is. It?!" the southern man asked again, leaning closer.

"Fuck off, man. I'm not telling you shit." Frost grinned, lazily pushing himself off the other and propping himself into a sitting position. The other seemed to take it well as he simply shrugged and threw the iPod at his teammate. "Fine, I'll find out a way or another. _Nothing_ hides from me~" Once that sentence was over, both Truck and Sandman walked into them.

"There's a new mission taking place a few days from now. If other teams cant handle it, we'll get to it." Sandman said, his arms crossed over his chest as Truck handed both of Frost and Grinch files to check. "New York had been attacked, and if it was fully taken by the Russians… We're over." Truck spoke in a serious tune, and the simple thought of a new mission so fast made the other two groan in unison.

"We have plenty of time to get ready, don't be stressed about it." Their commander said as he sat down on the couch Frost was lying on, Truck simply taking a chair and sitting next to them all. "Still, in these days we'll be waking up early for training. We need to be ready for everything." So… no more sleeping until afternoon? Frost sighed and closed the file, tossing it at Grinch who was busy reading through the one he had. If there something he hates so much in the world, its waking up early for hard work. And it was just another prove how lazy he became after he joined Delta force.

"Frost." Sandman started, looking over at the lying body next to him. The said man only looked over at his commander. "I need to speak with you." As he said that, he stood up and walked straight to the door. Oh shit, what did he do now?! The look Grinch was giving now wasn't helping either. He stood right away and followed after Sandman, keeping a distance between them when he finally catches up with him.

They walked in intense silent. Frost didn't know what to say and he had no idea what Sandman wanted to talk about. He just sincerely hoped he didn't do something wrong that would piss off his commander, especially after he tried his best to avoid mistakes ever since he joined. He never wanted to disappoint Sandman.

They reached a floor Frost never bothered to check, and as they walked down the hall, Sandman stopped at one of the doors and slowly opened it. Frost following after. Once he entered the room, he took his time to study it over. It was a plain room. A bed here and a chair there, a desk with a few papers over it and a door he guessed was leading to a bathroom. He heard the highest ranked men in every Force had rooms like these, and this one was probably Sandman's as he walked over to the bed and sat down carelessly, his elbows leaning over his knees. "Sit down, Frost."

Derek did as he was told, sitting down beside his commander nervously. A few seconds passed and the silence was back, and the more he grew uncomfortable, the urge to ask Sandman what is it grew. "…What did you want to talk about?" The sergeant finally said, looking over at the older male with hesitation.

"Anything. Do you miss home? Do you like it here?" oh, that was unexpected. So he _didn't _do anything wrong. As a smile formed, he looked down at his hands slowly, now understanding that Sandman only wanted to talk. And maybe this was a chance for them to grow closer. "Not much, I mean, I miss mom, yeah, but I'm glad I don't live there anymore." He paused, remembering his dad… "Yeah, its way better here. I got you guys, and a bunch of others to hang out with." His own smile was still there, and if he wasn't mistaken, Sandman was smiling too, a very small smile. "What about you?"

"…I don't miss places much, mostly places like home. I never spent enough time in it anyway. As for if I like it here… then I do. This base is more of a home to me, actually." He straightened up a bit, and Frost simply took the time to listen and appreciate this moment between them. So Sandman hardly stays at his house? "And when did you get here?" Frost asked, finally getting the chance to ask the question he had been always curious about.

"Back when I was 29. I was just promoted to a Corporal, then." He paused, narrowing his eyes as he stared down. "Truck joined soon after, and he was having a hard time getting along. We were both corporals so we got introduced anyway. Then Grinch came a few years later. He was just a private back then, but he was good." As his commander said all that, he slowly rubbed the back of his neck, and the sight made it hard for Frost to look away.

"Then, Johnson decided to make us a team, but we were lacking a fourth member." As Frost heard that, he smiled again, looking away. "Then we started looking around for someone, until Johnson said a certain corporal caught his eye." …Corporal? Does that mean… "But he guessed it was better to wait until he sees more of his skills, and as soon as he promoted to a sergeant, he knew he had chosen the right man." Oh god, that was all he needed to hear to know he have been watched for all that time. _Judged_, if not simply watched.

He felt a hand pat his shoulder, and as he looked back at Sandman, he saw a smile, and he wasn't just a small one this time. "And he was right. You were exactly what I asked for our team." Hearing that made Frost smile as well, his cheeks darkening slightly, but how could he be blamed? He was getting compliment from his commander, and dammit, that's all he needed to hear.

"I'm glad I am. But I cant even imagined I was being picked back then. I would have tried harder, since I had no intentions of joining Delta. You could say I was… surprised." As he replied to the older male, he looked all around the room, finding it surprisingly hard to look at Sandman straight in the eyes.

Their conversations kept going. Mostly talking about their first days in the military, what they liked and what they disliked…etc. The only thing Frost was secretly surprised about was, Sandman didn't join the military early like all three of them did. He joined sometime in his mid-twenties, and the urge to ask him why never left Frost, but he was still not ready to ask about something so private.

Time had passed without their realization, and to their surprise, it had already been three hours of constant talking that got both of them to know more about each other. And as Frost stood up to leave, he was stopped by Sandman's hand holding his wrist. He turned to face the older man, and the hand on his wrist slipped away. "We should do this more often…" Was the only thing Sandman said, earning a nod from Derek. "Sure, whenever you'd like."

And with that said, he left. His mind absently repeating everything they had talked about, sighing now and then as he remembered some of his stupid replies or comments here and there. He wondered what to tell Grinch, knowing the man would be waiting for him for questioning. Man, Grinch was worst than a detective. Dropping that thought away, he found himself smiling as the last thing Sandman said echoed through his mind… Do that more often. Damn, he'd love to. And this time, he cared less about what Grinch would think of what they were doing.

**~/~**

**Oh my god, this was a long chapter. Weeell, hope you like it. And I'd like to thank those who reviewed so far. There's something wrong with my replying bottom so… thank you for taking the time to reply! It always cheers me up and inspires**__**my lazy ass to write more! w**


	6. Chapter 6

Difference

There were things about Grinch that Frost sometimes disliked. Not hated, but disliked. Every time he'd sit peacefully to eat or chat or even just listen to his team talking about various stuff, Grinch must lean close to him and ask with his constant curiosity, "Who is it!?"

He simply wished he didn't tell Grinch about it. Maybe it would have been better, but maybe it wasn't. Grinch never stopped helping him understand the situation he's in, and even if he asked Truck's advice, he'd still prefer his other friend. Of course, whenever Grinch would ask him that, the other two, Sandman and Truck would simply stare, stopping whatever they're doing just to see if Frost would finally break loose and tell them who it was.

But he never did. Because every time Grinch asked, Sandman is sitting along with them. And he was never ready to say it aloud when their commander was there. It was simply hard, even to him. But he'll have to learn to get used to it. But not too soon.

He thought about this all once he woke up from his sleep. Staring absently at the wall with his arm dangling off the bed. His training is supposed to start now, but Sandman hasn't walked in yet like he did the past couple of days. Truck and Grinch were coupled for their one-on-one training, which leaves him and Sandman. His commander had agreed to help him through some basics that he was still unaware of, but he knew how groggily Frost is every morning, so he went easy on him. Much to Frost's appreciation.

He let out a long sigh, rolling on his back and staring up at the ceiling, he wondered if he should get up and check if Sandman was actually awake, or maybe there was no training today? He hoped there wasn't any. The sergeant slowly got out of bed, put on the usual pair of trousers and a black shirt he grew fond of for some reason, and then made his way down to the training yard where he could see Truck and Grinch arguing. Again.

"Hey! Watch it! Next thing I know is your fist on my fucking face!"

"Maybe if you become more careful I wouldn't need to punch you!"

"I _am _careful! It's your stupid tactics that should be reviewed."

"My damn tactics are fine!"

"No they're not!"

"Shut the fuck up before I rearrange your face!"

"Oh yeah? Say that to an enemy, let's see if he'd just stand and let you do it."

"It's _you _who'll get beaten to death with your baby-like defense!"

"Guys..."

"My defense is not baby-like you asshole!"

"Damn yeah it is! If Sandman ever sees it, he'll kick you out of the team."

"Guys."

"It's you who deserves to be kicked out! You don't know shit about close combat."

"Say one more words and I'll kick your ass so hard you can't move for a month!"

"Guys!"

Both of them finally fell silent as they looked over at Frost, and from the look on their faces, they haven't seen him coming. He took a deep breath, appreciating the silent. "Where's Sandman?" he finally asked, Grinch looking mildly confused while Truck gave a simple nod. "He excused himself earlier, said that he couldn't train today. Guess it's your lucky day." Excused himself? Did something happen to him? "...Thanks."

He quickly walked away, hearing them argue again which was just unbearable by this moment. He let out a soft groan and walked back into the base, now its time to find Sandman, but he had no idea where to start looking... the infirmary? If he excused himself then he got to be there. But then he maybe was tired, and just slept it off in his room? Okay, he'll check the room.

On his way to the upper floor, he met Grizzly at the stairs, who stopped him and gave him a smile that meant he won't go further up. "Good morning, Frost. Want some coffee?" he asked, but received a hesitant look as a reply. "I'd... like to, but I'm looking for Sandman." He made sure his sentences are short enough to show he wasn't in the mood to speak further, but this was Grizzly, the man wouldn't let anything pass so easily. "Ah, yes. Sandman. He's in the infirmary. The stitches need to be removed. It'll take a while. Still want to join me for coffee?"

He let out a defeated sigh, knowing well enough that they don't let anyone inside the infirmary when something like that is going on there. "Alright, lead the way." He followed Grizzly as he stepped down the stairs and into the dining hall that wasn't filled anymore. The breakfast was long over and Frost had an empty stomach. He was used to it already, skipping breakfast to sleep more... but sometimes, it could be hard.

He sat down beside Worm and Thumper while Grizzly went to bring them coffee, they both greeted them, though looked just as tired as he was right now. Sometimes, he knew they understand him better than most people in this base. They talked, mostly about how they need the sleep so badly and it wouldn't kill if breakfast starts afternoon instead of morning. But there was always lunch to make up to them. Once Grizzly was back, Frost took his coffee and gave a simple 'thank you', then waited for it to cool down a bit.

"You can train with us if you want. We don't have much to do beside that, and Sandman would need to rest after the stitches are gone." Said the Captain, sipping from his coffee as his eyes kept watching Frost. Both Thumper and Worm gave loud groans and whines, obviously hating the idea of training at all. He'd be lying if he said they weren't the laziest fuckers in the entire Delta Force.

"No, it's okay. I've been waiting for a day off, so..." He grabbed his cup and started sipping from the black, plain, bitter coffee and tried his best not to visibly cringe at the taste. This was not his favorite, but he can't complain now. Thumper's head met the table in an unpleasant manner, which attracted all of their attention. "I just wanna sleep man. Have mercy on me and let me sleep, please." He pleaded his Captain, and for a minute there, Frost felt bad for him. "Yeah, of course. Let's see if how well you'll do on missions if I let you sleep during training."

"I'll go check on Truck and Grinch, make sure they didn't kill each other." He got understanding nods in return, taking his coffee and going back to the training yard. He stood there, staring at Sandman as he spoke to both of his teammates. He was out of the infirmary already? He walked over to the three of them, praying that Sandman was in no mood for training today.

"...So make sure it doesn't affect the both of you. Training isn't playing games, and you're still teammates. Show each other respect." He heard Sandman say and both Grinch and Truck nodded in unison. He was glad his commander finally spoke to them about this, since it's about time they stop their annoying fighting.

"Frost, you're awake." He turned toward the sergeant, giving him a gentle pat. "Sorry, there's no training today, unless you want to train with these two..." he spared a glance at the two who were casting glares on each other's way, but quickly stopped once they noticed he was talking about them. "No, sir... I think I'm fine." A small smile appeared over his face as he looked over at them, he knew he wouldn't stand hearing their argument, so he'd just avoid it from now.

"Alright. I'll head back to my room." He paused, narrowing his eyes at Grinch and Truck. "I don't want to hear more arguing, or both of you will be expelled from the mission." And with that, he left. Leaving two grunting teammates. It was as if these two were born for nothing but snapping at each other. But it was still obvious how much they would care if one of them was hurt. He looked down at the coffee in his hand before giving it over to Truck without second thought. "Here, I really don't want it." He was glad Truck liked this kind of coffee, which spared him drinking more of the offending taste. As for Grinch, he just made a disgusted face, as he seemed to also hate that kind of coffee. He can't blame him at all.

~/~

There were particular places in the base where he found them to be his favorite. There was his room (for the bed, mostly), that small room where they kept the Playstation or Xbox in, he already forgot what console was it, and then, there was the roof. He simply loved going up there alone, just sitting and staring at the dark horizon.

And tonight, he had decided to do just that. He had taken a cigarette pack from Thumper, after constant pleading, and stole a lighter from Grinch who was probably looking for it by now. He sat down on one of the dusty chairs on the edge of the roof, staring at the dark view. He could see shadows of the soldiers training in the yard, the sparks coming out of their guns every time they shoot made enough light for him to focus on how many of them were there. They were six, or seven, and a single man walking behind them, which would be most likely their captain. He flickered the lighter in his hand and lit one of the cigarettes, inhaling slowly and deeply then held the smoke in for a second or two before releasing it all out.

He wasn't much of a smoker, and the last time he did was back in high school, before his graduation. He was nervous back then, just thinking about all the people who'd look at him and _judge _him was beyond his endurance, and his friend had given him his very first cigarette to relax him. And somewhat it did. He just hated how hesitant he was back then when it came to social events or standing before a crowd of people. He was over it now, and maybe even liked it a little bit… ever since his first promotion.

He inhaled again, this time letting the smoke out immediately as he started relaxing on his seat, his eyes half-lidded as he listened to the fading sound of the bullets. All this was making him feel incredibly tired, and the urge to sleep was stirring inside of him. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the chair, taking a small drag from the cigarette again and enjoying this peaceful moment at its best.

There was a sudden, comfortable warm near his head. And it was slightly appreciated due to the cold air, but Frost was too lost in his dull thoughts to realize there was actually someone hovering over his head. He never became alarmed until he felt hands sneak on his shoulders, gently massaging the tense muscles and it only made him relax further, reducing his awareness… The familiar scent soon filled his nose, and he was sure he smelled that scent before, and it only reminded him of what happened in that small tent that day. The hand on his side back then is the same hand on his shoulder now. The thought made him smile.

"Smoking is bad for you." Was all his commander had said, taking the cigarette away from the younger's hand to put it between his own lips, inhaling deeply. "…Says the man who smokes." Frost, after his mouth decided to cooperate, had replied, caring less what would his commander think of those words. But the hands on his shoulders kept rubbing the same, which meant his words didn't have effect. "I don't smoke much, if that's what you're implying."

Letting a lazy smile cross his face, Derek opened his eyes to look up at his commander who was looking right back at him, his face's expression hard to read with the darkness around them, but he could still see his eyes clearly, and the cigarette dangling on his lips. "…How did you know I'm out here?" he asked, the smile slowly disappearing once he realized that. He never told anyone he was going to the roofs, and no one even followed, so how…?

"I had a lucky guess." The answer didn't quite satisfy him, but he didn't dig any further into it… probably because he was feeling too anesthetic for some reason. Gathering the energy to speak again, he had to stop mid-way to realize just how much effort that had took him to. It felt as if he had taken drugs… but at that moment, he can't remember if he did take some pills of some sort… he cant remember most of what happened that day. Was he high? Maybe. He decided to blame the smoke. "Why did you come then?"

The hands on his shoulders had finally stopped, and Sandman's eyes had narrowed the slightest bit that he wondered if he actually did that, or was he just imagining. Then the hands disappeared, and the warmth was quickly replaced by chilling air. He let out a shameless whine and he didn't care if it sounded absolutely wrong. "You don't like my company?" he heard his commander speak, listening as he dragged something that was probably a chair, and set it beside his own. "…Just wondering." _Of course I like your company… is it so hard to realize that?_ He wished he could have said just that, but again, his tongue was acting against him.

Sandman had settled himself on his chair sometime before or after he had replied to him, but he can't bring his mind to confirm when he did exactly. His commander didn't reply, only handed him back the cigarette after he smoked a bit of it. Lazily, he reached over for the cig, and once he took hold of it, he brought it to his lips and inhaled like he did at the beginning, long and deep until he felt his lungs filling up. Once he released the smoke, he handed it back to Sandman.

"How much work did you do today?" His commander had asked, and taking the time to think of the things he did, he realized he absolutely did nothing useful today. Yeah, he told Grinch and Truck how annoying it is to fight all the time, talked to Grizzly about new fighting styles he could use in close combat, which he simply replied with 'karate', and mostly spent the rest of the day doing nothing important but playing here and chilling there. "Uhh… I didn't work at all."

He heard the older man chuckle quietly, and he'd be lying to himself if he said that didn't sound sweet. Damn it, he already had so much for the man and he doesn't know how to contain it all. What if he suddenly breaks? What if he tells Sandman? And worst… what if he tells _Grinch_?! Oh god, Grinch would never let him live it down. He'd tease him in every way possible, wink at him whenever Sandman is near or just call from across the room 'look who's here~' which would just ruin all the secrecy he wants to keep.

He took a deep breath of the fresh air, clearing his lungs of the smoke he just had, then Sandman gained his attention again. "The advantage you take of your days off is stunning. I wonder how you're still awake by now." As much as he hated to admit, his Captain was right. Once he has a day off, he'd spend it exactly the way he wants, and by the end of the night, he'd regret it. And now he was regretting it, since most of his energy has been drained for today. He wondered if he'll get up early tomorrow.

He couldn't come up with a reply, and he guessed staying quiet was the best decision. Sandman didn't say anything further, and the quietness between them was comfortable… it was nice. He liked having moments like these with his commander, even if both of them weren't talkative much; it was still a nice way to spend the time between them.

The time passed slowly, and the training yard was starting to quiet down further and further until it was completely empty, the only sound left was the wind or one of them sighing. Frost was starting to get drowned in his tiredness again, his hand slipping from its place on his lap to dangle by his side, and soon after it did, he felt another hand bump against his own before it held it. Sandman's fingers intertwined with his own, and he didn't hesitate to hold his hand right back, squeezing it gently now and then. The silence was never broken, and the warmth of Sandman's hand kept him conscious and focused. And god, he'd love if they did more than that. But from what it seemed, his commander wasn't a man to take things hurriedly.

"Frost." Sandman had started, and for a second there, Derek heard hesitance in his voice. But again, he was never sure. Sandman is hard to understand sometimes, if not always. "Yeah?" Came Frost's reply, slow and careful. He heard Sandman start again, but he stopped, sighing. "I… Remember when we were back in the tent?" he finally asked. That stopped Frost in his tracks, remembering that moment again, which was more vivid than ever before. "Yes, what about it?"

"Were you awake?" Sandman asked again, and this time, Frost knew what he was talking about exactly. He took a while to gather the guts and reply, a hesitant and a quiet 'yes' was all he let out. Then the older man was quiet again, but it wasn't for long. The question he asked now was even more surprising to Frost. "…Did you mind it?"

He wasn't sure what happened to him, but his tongue was acting on it's own this time, and as his sentence slipped, he couldn't stop it. "No, I didn't mind it. It was nice, actually…" To actually admit that, was a big move to him, and he wondered if he'd ever be able to look Sandman straight in the eyes again. Again, silence. And now Derek started to regret every word he said.

"Then… you wouldn't mind it happening again, right?" The question felt like a wash of cold relief over his head, and a silent sigh left his lungs. "I wouldn't." Was his reply, which was nothing above a whisper. The hand holding his own had squeezed him a little and he tightened his grip just a bit in return. Then he felt the older man's thumb rub over his knuckles, letting a smile make its way to his lips.

He'll be honest with himself and admit he'd love it if it happened again, he'd love if they'd go further into this relationship, and he'd love if things escalated to the best. And he knew, this time it would made a clear difference.

"Y'know… The whine you made earlier sounded dirty."

~/~

**Okay, I'm finally done with this. Hope you enjoy~**

**Also, just wanted to make it clear that exams are starting in four days, so updating will be slow. **


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm sorry for the late update. The exams have taken most of my time. **

**~/~**

Protecting Lives

All the training they had gone through was for nothing. At least that's what Derek had thought. When the mission's day was there, they were informed they were going to be undercover with new identities. Of course, Sandman didn't look surprised, and neither did Truck. Maybe both of them were hiding that fact since undercover missions were new to both Frost and Grinch.

Grinch didn't like it, but he couldn't say a word, neither did Frost. It was impossible to decline it now, after getting ready for almost a week and so, and that training certainly didn't go to waste.

They'd go undercover, steal the information they need and get the hell out of there before anyone would notice. But of course, these were Makarov's allies. If they didn't have protection, that'd be the most suspicious thing that could happen.

All four wore their fancy suits which were supposed to show them as 'business men', or 'Rich enough for gambling', like Captain Johnson had said. Frost wore his own hesitantly, and he begun doubting he'd ever look good in this. He never wore a suit before, and as he looked slowly over the mirror, he heard a snort coming from his right, where Grinch was fighting down his laughter and casting glances his way.

"What's so funny?" asked Frost, glaring at him with a huff. Dammit, he knew he looked wrong, but he didn't know it would be enough to make someone laugh… now he was self-conscious about this. "Nothing, it's just… you look like a wrestler forced to wear a pink dress~" and with that, he snorted again. Truck laughing in the background.

He almost, _almost _rearranged Grinch's facial features with his fists when he heard Sandman call him, and as he turned, the man had a straight face (much to his relief) and he slowly started undoing the tie around Frost collar shirt. Once that was over, he pulled the suit's jacket off which left the black vest, then undid the first three bottoms until Frost's chest was visible, then rolled up the sleeves until they reached his elbows.

"A necklace and a watch would work too." Sandman said once he was done, turning back to the mirror to fix what needs to be fixed about his suit. Derek couldn't stop staring for a while, his eyes wandering over Sandman's form in that suit… and he had to admit he looked so god damn sexy with it on. His Captain would of looked amazing as a business man if he wasn't a soldier. Finally coming back to reality, he turned to see himself in the mirror, a smile forming slowly as his eyes studied himself. Well, he looked good now. Sandman surely knew what to do.

He felt eyes on him, and as he turned, he saw Grinch's face that had an odd expression casted his way. He simply raised his brow, questioning the strange stare he was getting, but his friend didn't reply; only looked back to his mirror to put on his sunglasses. Damn, it seems the man will never let those go as if they were a part of his body.

Once they reached the bird that would take them to Berlin, where the Banker's henchman would possibly be, they climbed into it. All silent and focused. Frost wasn't sure what Sandman was thinking about, he couldn't even read Truck's thoughts, but Grinch… The man was too obvious. He was nervous, shifting in his seat and shaking a little. For a first mission undercover, it shouldn't be so scary. But maybe the man was afraid they'd get compromised _inside _the enemy resident. It would end up as bad as it could be imagined.

~/~

The casinos in Berlin were, mildly impressive. They were a little larger than those Frost had seen in America, and the people in it looked so damn rich they were sweating gold. It was both disgusting and shocking, but mostly disgusting. And from the look at them, they didn't seem to care about the war at all. Hell, even the ladies there didn't seem to care about anything.

They were sent to their rooms, Truck and Grinch sharing one, as usual. And Sandman and Frost sharing one. Once Frost walked into the suite, he flopped down on the couch, staring at the decorated ceiling with a thoughtful look. Now, how the fuck are they going to find those information? Better yet, who _has _them?! He was too lost in his thinking to feel Sandman approach him, and only realized that when the couch sank down a little at the extra weight. As he glanced at Sandman, he saw him pouring some kind of alcohol. He wasn't so sure what kind it was, but it didn't matter. He hardly drinks anyway.

"Don't waste your time thinking. We'll be staying here for a while… at least until we get what we came here for." His commander said, and offered him a drink which he accepted hesitantly. He wasn't much of a drinker, and he knew what three glasses of alcohol could do to him. He cant even trust himself around someone when he's drunk. Last time he was, it was back in high school's graduation party, where he ended up straddling one of his friends' laps… Fuck, just remembering made him blush.

"I wont… I'm just wondering where we should start." With that statement, he sipped from his glass, cringing at the strong taste and lowering the glass slowly. Wow, he could get drunk easily with this. He heard a chuckle come from the man next to him, and it sounded so genuine that it was hard not to smile when he heard it. "Haven't you drunk strong alcohol before?" Finally came the question once the laugh subdued, but the smile was still there… and it looked so nice to Frost, he was unable to look away.

The sergeant hesitated, his drink completely forgotten about as he tried to think of a decent answer. "Actually, no. The last time I drank I was too young. Too young to even drink." And ever since, he swore he'll never touch alcohol again. And now, he was drinking it. _Sipping _it is the right word. "It makes me unaware of the shit I do." Sandman smiled again, and as Frost met his commander's eyes, he started hesitating again. It was good to be away from the Military, even if he _was _in a mission, it was still better to see Sandman without all that gear or that plain white shirt that he wore daily. Even if it showed _a lot _of Sandman's body to him, he still liked the change.

His superior took a deep breath, his eyes casting down to stare at the drink in his hand. "But it can still allow you to forget things you don't want to remember." Those words sounded… off. And the older male still haven't looked up at him. So, he drank himself to the point of forgetting before? But what was it for? …Did he loose someone? All those questions started forming in his brain, and he hated how much of a coward he was to ask any of that.

He did, however, pull himself up from his lying position, crossing one leg and let the other dangle over the couch, then leaned closer toward Sandman. A hand grasping his firm shoulder gently. "Hey, there are better ways to forget. Alcohol can make you forget, yes, but it has side effects. And one of them is dying…" As he said that, the other started looking up, looking at him. His expression unreadable, but he could guess what he was feeling now. They were so close… so close Frost could finally do what he wanted, _needed _to do all this time, but as Sandman's eyes looked behind him, his chance was missed.

"Uhm.. uh.. Truck said he needs to speak with you-… Am I interrupting something?" That voice! Frost slowly turned, his eyes falling on a too-awkward-confused Grinch standing by the door with a look on his face that was more funny than anything, but Frost was in no mood to say a thing. "Sure." Said Sandman, standing up and leaving Derek where he was without looking back. Once he was out of the door, Grinch looked back at Frost with the same look he gave him earlier when they were dressing, but it wasn't a confused look, he could guess that far. Was Grinch… angry? "You too."

Groaning, the sergeant stood up and put down his drink, following after Sandman and trying to ignore the hard stare Grinch was giving him. What the fuck was wrong with him? He stood before Truck, who was talking rather quickly and quietly with Sandman. "I located the data base, where the banker's henchman is staying. He has been in contact with Makarov 8 hours ago." Fuck, how can Truck come up with all that just a few minutes after their arrival? He'll never know. He was just glad someone as good as Truck was in their team.

"Alright, let's get inside somewhere and discuss our plan. There could be bugs around."

Through all that, Grinch never took his eyes off Frost.

~/~

The plan was simple. Truck and Grinch goes downstairs where the casino was, start a fight and distract as much people as possible for the longest of time. It'll draw the banker's men out and try to separate between them since they were the only guards on duty that night. As for Frost and Sandman, they'll be the ones going to the top floor to get the information and leave. Hopefully, that henchman won't be there.

They were being quiet as they walked down the halls. No one was around but two guards who were sleeping with an open TV in one of the small rooms that led to the main one. From the description they got from Truck, the room was large, full of all kinds of software, and all sorts of tracking devices. The main computer was easy to use, but takes time to download all the files they'll need.

The lights were dim, which helped me further into this, as if the mission was going in their favor. As they kept walking, a few voices echoed in the hall and were too damn close to hide from them. Quickly, Sandman dragged him into an open, dark room, nothing visible in it as they waited for the group of 4-5 men to pass by them before they start walking again. They weren't armed, but they were muscled enough to take them down easily. He'd prefer avoiding them.

Resuming their way, they watched out for anyone who might have caught glimpses of them, or followed, or simply watched them from a distance, and once they were sure no one was doing any of that, they walked into the main room, and closed the door behind them. The sight was nothing but stunning. The large, dunno-how-many-feet wide screen displayed so many locations on the world's map. So many dots and shining arrows. One of the dots he recognized as the Delta force base… there were keyboards scattered all across the room, and little screens here and there. Cameras in each hall, each bar and each corner of the casino are shown on the wall to their left, and finally, a single laptop in the middle of this all.

Sandmen walked toward it, pulled a small USB from his pocket and begin typing so quickly it startled Frost. "Keep an eye on the door." Was his superior's order. He walked back to the closed door, opened it just a tiny bit and pressed his back against the wall, his eyes focused. He prayed they wouldn't be finding out about them, that no one would come here and decides to check if the room was clear or not. "Downloading…" It was his captain again, and he heard impatient tapping on the table the laptop was on, and he could guess Sandman was in a hurry for it to download whatever information they had, then make a mass deletion.

This mission could be a whole new level for them, and if they were lucky enough, they'll get promoted and more missions will come. Frost loved being in business. Footsteps on the hall caught his attention, a few voices echoing again, but this time, they were speaking English… "I tell you, I saw two fuckers walking!" said one of them, a larger voice replying. "I doubt anyone could come here. There are guards everywhere!"

"But they were _sleeping; _of course they didn't see two men walking here."

"Who do you think they'll be, anyway?"

"I don't know, spies maybe?"

"That's impossible. If there were any spies, we would have found out already."

They were so close now, and there was no place to hide in this damned room. He looked over at Sandman, walked a few steps toward him then grabbed him roughly and turned him around. His lips slapping against his commander's.

Sandman tensed, he could feel his form stiffen, but as the door opened, he felt a hand wrap around his waist as quick as possible… And the kiss deepened. "Maybe they're undercover-…"

"Maybe you're full of shit." The larger voice said his last statement before he fell quiet, and Frost knew they're in trouble now. He was kissing his commander, superior, captain, whatever he is in front of enemies. They're fucking dead. But Frost wouldn't let this pass so easily. He broke the kiss without a second thought, turned toward the two, dumbfounded guards and glared so intensely that the look on their faces changed. "What is wrong with you people!? Every time we go somewhere to spend a little, _just a little _time alone, someone has to come in and interrupt!" He practically yelled at them, his voice full of anger as he continued. "Fuck this vacation! This is the last time we're renting in this place. Ever."

He turned to Sandman, took his hand and dragged him out of that room, right past the two. "Oh, and next time you want to walk into something so private, make sure to _knock_." And with that, he left the two shocked Russians behind and went down the hall they walked in.

None of them said a single word until they reached their shared suite, and it was Frost who broke the silence. "…The USB." Staring at Sandman as he said that, his commander pulled the said device out of his pocket, and then returned it back once Frost saw it. "How did-…" Derek started, but simply fell silent. He didn't even know how to ask. "During your scolding up there, I took it without any of them noticing. Gotta admit, you're a good liar."

Fuck, just remembering that made him blush madly. He turned away from Sandman and sat down on the couch, his drink was still there, untouched, and that moment, he considered drinking it. Not long after, Sandman sat down as well, his arm wrapping around Frost's shoulder and bringing him closer. His lips touching the side of the younger's face. "You haven't finished what you started."

Frost could curse himself until he dies at that moment, but it would never cease the deep red that spread across his cheeks. Just how close he pressed against Sandman's body, how he felt the hot breath against his face, and how he heard the deep voice speak in a tone he never imagined he'll ever hear. "I didn't… have a choice?"

He slowly turned his head, just enough to meet his commander's eyes, his hand touching Sandman's cheek, "You have now." Was the last thing his captain said, and their lips met again.

The kiss wasn't soft, wasn't anywhere near gentle. It was as rough as two men fighting for dominance, lips pressed firmly on one another and hands quickly exploring bodies that longed to be touched. The kiss lasted for a while before Frost broke it, sucking in deep breaths to fill his lungs. Sandman took advantage of this, like he always does, and pushed his tongue past Frost's lips. The younger moaned, pressing further into his commander and fighting back the tongue invading his mouth, even as he knew he'd be easily turned into submission. After all, this was Sandman he's kissing…

He tasted the same as the drink they had earlier, and the heat in his body radiating to his own, making the temperature in the room unbearable. Derek started undoing his superior's clothes in a hurried manner as the older male leaned further over him until his back pressed against the couch beneath. The kiss was broken again, but this time, a knock on the door was the cause. Both of them pushed each other off, staring at the door in horror as it was knocked again. Frost, who didn't look so messed, stood up and decided he'll open the door while Sandman fixed his suit. He wiped his mouth and took a deep breath, then opened the door. It was Grinch.

"Hey dude, they're gonna kick us out. Did you get the info?" The southern male asked, peaking in to see Sandman standing up calmly with the USB in his hand. "Yes, we're leaving." Said his captain, and Frost slowly looked back at Grinch who was furrowing his brows in a very, very suspicious way, staring at both of them silently. "…Okay, I'll tell Truck." He left after saying that.

Closing the door, Frost turned to Sandman, taking a deep breath and rubbing the side of his neck. "…I wasn't kidding about the interruption." What he said made his commander smile for some reason, but he didn't say anything in turn.

~/~

The ride back to their base was quiet. And once they were at the base's rooftop, Johnson was the first to meet them, take the information and tell them how much he was proud of them. Right after he was gone, everyone hurried to their rooms to either change or nap or get ready for dinner. Frost was the one planning to nap, but just as he collapsed down the bed, he heard the door of his room open and close. "Alright, Frost. You can start explaining now."

He turned his head the slightest bit to get a good look on Grinch, who had an angry look on his face. "…Explain what?" His question only angered his friend further, and the sight of him confused him so much, he propped himself up on his elbows, eyes narrowed as he saw Grinch moving forward. "Explain what's between you and Sandman!"

That… caught him off guard; he pushed himself up and stared at Grinch calmly, not yet showing he knew anything. "I don't know what you're talking about…" What he said couldn't be worst to Grinch as the man held him by the collar and pushed him up, pinning him against the wall beside his bed. Frost didn't fight back, after all this time with his friend; he knew pushing him off would only cause more trouble. "Don't pretend you don't know! I've noticed the shit between you for months now!"

Denying it longer would be pointless… If Grinch knew then he cant lie anymore. "…Fine, let go of me first." Slowly, but carefully, Grinch let him go, taking a single step back, but still glared daggers into him. "Look, its no big deal. We just… have a thing for each other, okay?" the expression on Grinch's face changed, but Frost could not read it. "Nothing serious happened, trust me. But I just… like Sandman, and that wont change. Ever."

"Are you kidding me? Frost, what's gotten into you!? That's your Captain, and if anyone else knows, you'll be in deep trouble, man! They'll kick you out!" Grinch's words made so much sense to him, and now he knew why the man was so angry about the whole ordeal.

He just hoped no one _will _find out… "Then.. Then don't tell anyone. Please." He pleaded, Grinch's expression softening at that, but he still had that stern look in his eyes. "I wont, but you better keep each others back guarded. You don't know if the Captains would notice or not." His stance finally eased, and he looked down at the ground for a while before facing Frost again. "Look, I'm sorry about that. I just hate the fact my teammates hide shit from me. Its like, they don't trust me enough."

"Grinch, I do trust you, but it's not that. I mean, I wasn't even sure what's between us until… until today." Frost sighed, slumping against the wall once he was sure Grinch wont attack again. He was right. He never thought Sandman had that kind of emotions until they kissed. And even then, he was a little hesitant. But now… he felt guilty for even thinking about it that way. "Do you think we should tell Truck?" Grinch asked after a moment of silence, Frost pursing his lips. "Nah, let him find out on his own. The same way you did."

~/~

**I tried. I really did. But I just recently finished my exams and the urge to write isn't completely back yet. So excuse the hideous kissing scene and whatever else. **


End file.
